Co founders Evan Jia Levi Facwett Nathan Taylor Mark Song

What is a startup?

Callaghan Innovation defines a startup as a company that’s developing an innovative and scalable business.

Unlike other new small businesses, founders of startups are often pioneering new products, services, technologies and/or business models that haven’t been done before, and actively looking to disrupt existing industries or sectors. Founders are also looking to scale and grow their startup businesses quickly, helping to make their business more desirable to investors.

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Founder wellbeing

There are many pressures placed on startup founders as they bring to life their innovative new businesses. We fund and support a range of services, including independent counselling and restorative consulting, to help make the startup ecosystem a better place and to help look after the wellbeing of founders.

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Code of conduct and guide for founders

Code of Conduct

As a member of the startup ecosystem, Callaghan Innovation wants to help create an environment where founders and their evolving teams can thrive - an ecosystem that supports, encourages and builds a diverse and inclusive culture; recognises that words and actions have power; and acknowledges that if we make mistakes, we need to address our behaviour.  

The Code of Conduct and Guide for Founders have been created with this in mind - and with founders at their heart. We hope that New Zealand’s startup ecosystem providers, mentors, advisors, coaches, investors, supporters and startups find them useful.

Guide for Founders

This guide has been designed to give founders and their evolving teams a clear understanding of what good looks like and what constitutes unacceptable behaviour when engaging in the ecosystem.

Learning and resources for startups

There is plenty of other support for startups, beyond the programmes offered by Callaghan Innovation. These directories and resources contain information about support organisations, resources and events. 

Meet our experts

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Jenny Douche
Jenny Douché Product Manager Solving problems that impact many

I have worked at Callaghan Innovation since 2020, and I manage our Startup and Founder Support programme. Having both been part of an incubator founder cohort and run startup support programmes, I have seen the effectiveness of incubators and accelerators from various sides of the table.

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Jenny Douché Product Manager
Ayshen Koyu
Ayshen Koyu Product Manager Balancing the big picture and detail in IP

I manage Beyond IP, working with clients across the country to help them understand how this programme could benefit their business. My skills lie in relationship and operations management underpinned by Agile methodologies.

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Ayshen Koyu Product Manager
Sandra Baresic
Sandra Baresic Product Manager Facilitation to nut out gnarly problems

I work as a Product Manager coordinating and managing the delivery of programmes to improve the productivity of New Zealand businesses.  My work balances both data driven insights and collaborating with people to create offerings for customers.

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Sandra Baresic Product Manager
Victoria Rolph
Victoria Rolph Product Manager Expert in sources of capital

I work in the Product Management Team as the product lead for Capital Education. My core skill is knowing sources of capital that customers can approach for their business growth.

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Victoria Rolph Product Manager
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